I have been meaning to write a series, or at least start writing, a series of posts about my personal heroes. This idea really took root after I had gone to my second Scott Sigler book signing. The one for the release of Ancestor in hard cover. (I should have gone to the bar afterward. I am still kicking myself about that.) But I put it off. Well, here it is, or a least the first post in the series. There will be more. There are a handful of people living, dead, and otherwise that I admire greatly. It is my goal in the this series of articles to talk about each one of them, and what about them inspires me. Since I was inspired to start this series by Scott Sigler, he has the honor of being the first person I write about.

Scott Sigler is a personal hero of mine. He has managed to, thought hard work and perseverance, achieve his dream of being a full-time writer. He did this by giving away his work for free in podcast form as he went, building an audience. And he did this by writing and publishing kick-ass stories.

He is the New York Time’s best selling author of Earth Core, Ancestor, Infected, The Rookie, Nocturnal, Contagious, and The Starter. He is also the author of many short stories, and he collaborated on many stories with other authors for The Crypt. He also does a regular blog/column for AMC on horror, Laughing in the Face of Death. (I’m sure there are other things I am missing as well.)

I admire Scott not only because he writes great stories and has achieved his dream, but because he has a clear focus on what he wants to do and he genuinely likes and cares about his fans.

I am not good with focus, I admit. That has allowed me to do a lot of different stuff (and I enjoyed all those experiences), but it has hindered me from really hitting my big goals. (I don’t consider this a weakness.) I am very impressed with the fact that Scott saw what he wanted to do and focused on it, and he found ways around the obstacles put before him while maintaining his principles.

In the interest in not coming across as a total fan boy. I don’t agree with Scott on everything. I don’t agree with him about spirituality. And I prefer Bourbon to Scotch. (That can be blamed on Brian Keene, who will also appear in this series of articles.)

Scott has earned all of his current success, and the success that will come in the future for him. I am privilege to be an “original” junkie and to have had the opportunity to meet Scott in person and interview him twice for my podcast Snark Infested Waters.

I raise my glass in a toast to Scott Sigler. You are one of my personal heroes. Thank you for all you do, have done, will do, and the inspiration you are.